A blast in a Krishnanagar bound local train from Sealdah early on Tuesday left seven injured.

Unofficial accounts, however, peg the number of injured to 17, with five serious. All injured have been admitted to R.G.Kar medical college hospital in Kolkata.

The incident took place at 3:55 am, when the train which left Sealdah was between Barrackpore and Titagarh railway stations. Preliminary probe suggests the train passengers were embroiled in an altercation with suspected miscreants when the blast took place.

Police, including RPF, Barrackpore and CID's Bomb Squad are checking the train which has been halted at Barrackpore station.

Preliminary probe indicates two group of miscreants hurled crude bombs inside compartment number 5 of the local train.

Police officials are not ruling out the possibility of explosives being carried in the train.

Eyewitnesses claim that they saw one person getting off the train right after the blast in the train. He was carrying a weapon, sources have claimed.

Since this was the first local train to depart from Sealdah at 3:20 am, lesser people had boarded the train or else the impact could have been disastrous.

Police say two of the seven injured were critical. One among them was transferred to SSKM Hospital from RG Kar hospital. Others are likely to be shifted to Sealdah Railway hospital. SRP Sealdah Debasish Bej and Barrackpore police commissioner Niraj Singh rushed to the spot.

- Manohar